<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>lend a better hand than the one we've been dealt by QueenWithABeeThrone</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27895684">lend a better hand than the one we've been dealt</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenWithABeeThrone/pseuds/QueenWithABeeThrone'>QueenWithABeeThrone</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Jane the Virgin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Artists, Gen, Semi-Epistolary, background canon relationships, friendships, outsider pov</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:02:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,906</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27895684</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenWithABeeThrone/pseuds/QueenWithABeeThrone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Point taken,” said Cardo, wryly. He craned his neck, squinted, and said, “Hey, don’t look now, it’s your writer woman! And—some dude.”</p><p>“Oh, that’s probably the hot real estate agent,” said Mariana.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rafael Solano/Jane Villanueva</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Yuletide 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>lend a better hand than the one we've been dealt</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/charlietinpants/gifts">charlietinpants</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>thank you for your request charlietinpants! I was a bit at a loss for how to go about it, then I saw you liked Outsider POV and went from there. I hope you like this!</p><p>title is from m.a.e's "Communication". thanks so much to chidiandthegoatsyay#5895 for the beta job and help with the title!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Mariana Iris Alvarez was twenty years and three and a half months old, one Friday, the writer who kept coming into the café she worked at picked up a coffee, looked her in the eye, and said, “You’re Mariana Alvarez, right? A friend said you’re an artist looking for work.”</p><p>“Uh,” said Mariana, blinking at her. Writer Lady knew her name? “Yes?” she said.</p><p>“I’m looking for an artist,” said Jane. “Have you got a portfolio I could look over?”</p><p>--</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>Holy shit they’re back</p><p><b>CARDO:</b><br/>who?</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>Writer lady!!<br/>You know, the chick with great hair who hogs the wall charger all fuckin day<br/>She’s with a guy here right now hoSHIT</p><p><b>CARDO:</b><br/>oh thank god i was getting worried about her after this drought of updates<br/>wait hold on which guy??<br/>cute guy with the tattoos or deep-fried south guy or latin lover man</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>Latin lover man<br/>Wait how do you know about the deep-fried South guy she only brought him in like the one time and it was super weird<br/>I thought they broke up and he went back to Montana???</p><p><b>CARDO:</b><br/>oh i met the guy and we walk dogs together now<br/>if you get what i mean ;) ;) ;)</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>Get iiiiiiiit<br/>Oh shit writer lady is coming over I will update you ASAP BRB</p><p>--</p><p>When Mariana Iris Alvarez was seven and a half years old, she realized she wanted, more than anything else in this whole wide world, to become—</p><p>“—a comic book artist!”</p><p>Her mother, stirring cinnamon into her coffee, looked down at her little girl, who was beaming up at her with a missing tooth. “Really,” she said, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>“Yeah-huh!” said Mariana, nodding so fast that it was a wonder her head didn’t fly off from it. “I wanna do comics! I wanna draw Wonder Woman kicking butt!” She demonstrated a kick, then said, “Like that!”</p><p>“Well,” said her mother, smiling softly down at her little girl. “I think I can get you started on that.” And the very next day, Mariana was taken out to her first art supply store and given the following: a sketchbook, a pack of colored pencils and crayons, and books about how to draw like a comic book artist. (<i>Not</i> Rob Liefeld.) And from there on out, Mariana’s sole goal in life was to become <i>a real comic book artist</i>.</p><p>Granted, most comic book artists don’t work at coffee shops in Florida, but listen, Mariana is 20 years old, all right, and art school is <i>expensive</i> even on a scholarship. But by god, she refuses to leave school with student debts she’ll be paying well into her nineties, so here she fucking is.</p><p>And for just over a year now, the one thing that brightens her day (and has become the subject of her most popular Tumblr post) is this: a woman with a laptop who always orders a macchiato and then hogs the wall outlet to type all day.</p><p>At first Mariana didn’t really pay her any attention. Writers and college students are a dime a dozen in these parts, and Mariana’s used to seeing them beeline directly for the wall plug so they can fuck around on their laptops and phones without worrying about dwindling batteries. But on the <i>second</i> week, the woman came in with a very sweet guy named Adam, who had tattoos, a nice smile, and made even Mariana’s heart flutter a little, and Mariana’s <i>ace</i>. It takes a lot to make her heart flutter.</p><p>For some months, every other Friday or so, Mariana would see the woman, who she started calling Writer Lady, and her beau show up and chill near the wall plug, their shit all plugged in and their faces all alight with Love and Romance and all that other stuff. And, okay, so sue her, maybe she got a little <i>invested</i> in their happiness, sneaking Writer Lady cookies and arepas and Hot Tattoo Guy some gluten-free brownies. But like. They were exceedingly <i>cute</i> together, you know? She wanted them to be happy together. And okay, maybe this was like, the one spot of happiness in her swamp hole of a job, but you take all the joys you can get in retail and customer service, damn it.</p><p>So when Writer Lady came in alone and dejected, Mariana felt her own heart crack into two. Like, she had really been rooting for these two strangers. Probably to an unhealthy level, but still.</p><p>“Aw, girl,” Ricardo, also known as Cardo to his friends, had said when Mariana had told him the sad story of Writer Lady and her hot tattooed boyfriend. “I mean, <i>Dios</i>, I feel bad for her, but mostly I feel worse for <i>you</i>, losing your little romcom couple.”</p><p>“Shut <i>up</i>, <i>idiota</i>, this is not about me at <i>all</i>,” Mariana had huffed, shoving her best friend lightly. “If I wanted a romcom couple I could just stalk you and your boyfriend of the week.”</p><p>And then Writer Lady came back again, but this time with a tall dude who had a lot of stubble on his face. Very rugged-looking guy. Mariana raised an eyebrow at her when she said they were just talking, that was all, because honestly she really doubted that. Honestly she was still hoping for the cute tattooed guy to show back up again, but when Mariana plucked up the courage to ask, Writer Lady just smiled sadly and said, “He and I just—didn’t see the long-distance thing working out for us.”</p><p>Mariana was bussing tables when she overheard Writer Lady and new beau talking, and quickly pretended she was inventorying the magazines for an excuse to listen in.</p><p>“—and find your mom,” said Writer Lady. “I’m right behind you, every step of the way.”</p><p>“I know,” said the new beau. “I’m just—I don’t even know where to start, with finding Luisa. She’s probably pissed at me, and why wouldn’t she be? I wasn’t there for her when Petra got her into the asylum.”</p><p>Writer Lady sighed, then ran her hands through her hair. “I still can’t believe Petra would do that,” she said. “I mean, what reason would she even <i>have</i>?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” said new beau. “Hotel shares?”</p><p>“She wouldn’t do that now,” said Writer Lady, before pausing. The look on her face was nothing short of devastation. “Would she?” she asked, in a tiny, sad little voice.</p><p>Mariana was on fucking <i>tenterhooks</i>.</p><p>Unfortunately, it was at that moment that her manager yelled, “Alvarez! <i>Get back here!</i>”</p><p>--</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>ALERT<br/>WRITER LADY KNOWS MY NAME????</p><p><b>CARDO:</b><br/>oooh i wonder why</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>Cardo you saucy minx you miracle worker<br/>May the sweet Virgin Mother Mary herself bless you and your relationship with deep fried southern man<br/>She asked if I could illustrate a script she was working on!!!!<br/>Because she’s hoping to see if she can do an indie comic!!!!!!</p><p><b>CARDO:</b><br/>get it giiiiiirl<br/>i know it’s not like the superhero scene you were hoping for but it’s a start</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>Are you KIDDING this is the BEST THING EVER<br/>It’s a really good start and a great thing to add onto my portfolio<br/>One day soon DC will look at this run and they will hire me on fucking SIGHT</p><p><b>CARDO:</b><br/>ok slow down there chiquita</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>You’re right<br/>Image Comics first<br/>Ooooh I gotta go Writer Lady wants to talk to me about THINGS</p><p>--</p><p><b>To:</b> janevillanueva1986@gmail.com<br/><b>From:</b> mi.alvarez@gmail.com<br/><b>Subject:</b> Script draft<br/><b>Attached:</b> romcomicdraftannotated.docx</p><p>Hi!</p><p>This is Mariana, your artist. Obviously. I read your script! I know you said that you’re a novice at writing comic books, and for a couple parts it shows - you add a lot more description than I’m used to dealing with as an artist for the occasional webcomic + TONS of words in dialogue - but overall I think this is actually a solid script. I just want to ask: IS the murder mystery based off the one at the Marbella??? Because IDK if you can do that and not get sued by the Marbella’s owner. She’s married to a lawyer and everything. She kind of scares me.</p><p><b>To:</b> mi.alvarez@gmail.com<br/><b>From:</b> janevillanueva1986@gmail.com<br/><b>Subject:</b> Re: Script draft</p><p>Thank you! Sort of. I took some details from the Marbella case, but you’re right, Petra would be a little offended. Not enough to sue, but it would definitely make things a little awkward at Saturday reunion dinners.</p><p>I’m very glad you’re getting me on the right path re: writing comics! This is a very new thing for me, but I didn’t really think this story could be told right via any other medium. It feels very much like a comic book to me, I’m not sure why. My kid has been excited to read it since I told him I was thinking about working on a comic book—I think he wants to show it to his classmates at school despite comics being banned there.</p><p><b>To:</b> janevillanueva1986@gmail.com<br/><b>From:</b> mi.alvarez@gmail.com<br/><b>Subject:</b> Re: Re: Script draft</p><p>Haha wow you have a real good kid there.</p><p>You’re welcome! Comics have been my lifeblood since I was about ten. I love introducing people to them, especially to writing and illustrating them—there’s a special quality to comics that isn’t there to prose, IMHO. Not to dunk on prose though. Prose is really good too. I’ve read your books (I like to do research!) and they’re very good, you know how to write a complicated love story between characters who love each other but have to first overcome some deep flaws so they can fully grow. I’m so glad I get to work with you as your artist.</p><p><b>To:</b> mi.alvarez@gmail.com<br/><b>From:</b> janevillanueva1986@gmail.com<br/><b>Subject:</b> Re: Re: Re: Script draft</p><p>Hah, it’s okay! I’ll admit, up until my son started getting into them, comic books were never really on my radar. But he’s such a huge fan, and I noticed there was not a whole lot of comics about Latinos—there were a few mainstream characters, but I don’t just want superheroes and supervillains and sidekicks. If we have to depend on Marvel and DC for Latino representation, we’ll be disappointed a lot, I think.</p><p>I am so, so flattered you read my books, you have <i>no</i> idea. For a while when I was starting out, I thought no one wanted to read them, just my family and a couple of strangers. I’ve always loved romance novels and telenovelas, and I wanted to bring that energy to comics. They’re already wildly dramatic, from what I know of them! This just centers the romantic drama.</p><p>--</p><p>Finding out Writer Lady’s name was fairly easy. For one thing, Mariana was the barista and Writer Lady gave her name as Jane. For another thing, one time Writer Lady brought in <i>Rogelio de la fucking Vega</i>, so if she was trying to keep her identity secret from the café’s staff that move blew the cover off her identity sky-high. Out of respect for her profession, though, Mariana just kept calling Writer Lady.</p><p>Also out of respect for her profession, she bought some of her books.</p><p>Mariana doesn’t read romances, as a general rule. Nothing to do with the romance genre itself, it just doesn’t hold her interest very much. Love stories are overrepresented in the media, or something like that, and anyway Mariana’s tastes have always run more towards the science fiction and fantasy and horror side of things. Take a look at her bookshelves—mixed in with the art books are Discworld and Victor LaValle and <i>Lightspeed</i>, and she particularly prizes the <i>Star Wars</i> concept art book she got from her Papa at Christmas. No romances. None.</p><p>Writer Lady’s books, though, became something of an exception. Yeah, Mariana didn’t, and still doesn’t, get the whole love triangle angle, but that wasn’t what she gave a shit about. The <i>characters</i> had reeled her in—it was as though they had come to life right off the page. She <i>got</i> their motivations, their desires, the things they were passionate about. The love story was a part of it, sure, but there were other things: the mystery, the political intrigue, the highly-researched setting, and how the characters moved among these aspects, how they interacted with each other. The family bond, she saw, was just as important to the story as the romantic bond.</p><p>Cardo liked the love story, of course, because Cardo was and is a romantic despite his track record with guys. He also thought it was hilarious that Mariana had ended up buying a customer’s books. “I feel like that breaches some kind of protocol there,” he said, while the two of them were chilling on a bench, chowing down on arepas.</p><p>“I work in <i>customer service</i>,” said Mariana. “There’s no <i>protocol</i>.”</p><p>“I know you went through a whole week meant for drilling protocols into your head before you started working there,” said Cardo.</p><p>“Look at me,” said Mariana. “Look me in the eye, woman to man, and tell me I look like someone who gives a flaming shit about this job.”</p><p>“Point taken,” said Cardo, wryly. He craned his neck, squinted, and said, “Hey, don’t look now, it’s your writer woman! And—some dude.”</p><p>“Oh, that’s probably the hot real estate agent,” said Mariana.</p><p>“Does hot real estate agent look like a cowboy?” Cardo asked, raising an eyebrow. “A particularly <i>attractive</i> cowboy,” he added, as Mariana quickly twisted her body around to stare in complete shock at Writer Lady talking, very quietly and very urgently, with a tall guy in a plaid shirt who had a dog on a leash. They did not look happy. Writer Lady looked stressed and the cowboy looked confused, like what she was saying did not entirely compute.</p><p>“Oh, god,” said Mariana. “Poor real estate agent man.”</p><p>Indeed, a day or so later, Writer Lady’s boyfriend came in <i>sans her</i>. Mariana stared at him in complete bug-eyed shock as he was ordering his drink, and when she got him his order, said, “Are you okay, man?”</p><p>The real estate agent man, whose name was Rafael but who Mariana referred to as Sadsack Realtor (among other nicknames) in the back of her mind, looked at her, surprised. “Uh, yeah,” he said. “Why’re you asking?”</p><p>“It’s just, y’know,” said Mariana, fumbling for an excuse that didn’t sound creepy as fuck and didn’t give away that she was actually pretty invested, “you usually come in with your girlfriend. The writer. And you didn’t now, so—it took me by surprise, that’s all.”</p><p>“Oh,” said Single Sadsack Realtor. “Uh. Well. We’re sort of—” He paused. Sighed. “Her ex came back,” he said.</p><p>“Oh,” said Mariana.</p><p>“With amnesia,” said Sadsack Realtor.</p><p>“<i>What</i>,” said Mariana.</p><p>“Yeah, me too.” He took his sad little cup of coffee, and said, “We’re just on a break right now. But thanks for asking.” He paused, then added, “Hey, uh, could you add a cookie to my order? It’s just that it’s my turn to pick our kid up today.”</p><p>Oh, shit, there was a <i>kid</i> involved? Things were messy beyond belief.</p><p>Mariana got him the damn cookie. She figured he would need one. But before she left, she said, “Listen—you probably don’t need or want advice, and I’m the first to say that I am total shit at giving romantic advice, but uh. You know. You guys oughta talk. Adult communication!” She gave a weak little smile. “Works every time!”</p><p>Then she skedaddled before Sadsack Realtor could say anything.</p><p>--</p><p><b>JANE:</b><br/>okay, so! MJ’s new boyfriend was right.<br/>random barista is a REALLY GOOD artist and also, incidentally, has been holding my hand through this whole process.<br/>thank god because if I didn’t have some help I probably would’ve converted it into a novel and it would lose a LOT along the way.</p><p><b>RAFAEL:</b><br/>That’s great!<br/>I’d still read that novel btw.<br/>Have you worked out who you’re going to pitch it to just yet?</p><p><b>JANE:</b><br/>I think I need to get most of it down in some shape or form before I can even think about pitching it, so, no.</p><p><b>RAFAEL:</b><br/>Well, Rogelio might know some people in the comic book industry, since Tiago got adapted into a comic book.<br/>Maybe he can get you, Alvarez and your agent an in with someone?</p><p><b>JANE:</b><br/>sure, I’ll talk to him!<br/>btw dear husband it’s your turn to pick Mateo up from karate classes, I have writing to do.</p><p>--</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>Ok tell me this is pretty<br/>[image attachment: shotinthedarkconcept.jpeg]</p><p><b>CARDO:</b><br/>oh shit that’s actually really fucking good</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>Thank u for ur services Mr Guintibano<br/>I am STRESSING over this concept art tf am I doing, I am a haaaaack<br/>Jane is going to fire me and hire a better artist what the fuck am I doing with this fashion she will hate how I’ve imagined her characters</p><p><b>CARDO:</b><br/>rob liefeld would never think that and you are an infinitely better artist than he is<br/>your women move and look like women for example<br/>also she would never fire you she thinks you drew the fucking moon in the sky or some shit like that<br/>i have INSIDE INFORMATION</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>Never speak that name in my presence ever again but yes okay you are right<br/>I mean that is an exaggeration she probably thinks I’m just okay but anyway<br/>Please tell me if I did something wrong in the concept art and how badly should I freak out over it</p><p><b>CARDO:</b><br/>it’s concept art<br/>you have books about concept art<br/>you and i are fully aware that concept art does not survive to final cut like 95% of the time it’s okay to fuck up<br/>listen you and writer lady are going to be fine</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>Thank you<br/>So much<br/>What would I do without you</p><p><b>CARDO:</b><br/>well probably the same thing just with more spazzing out</p><p>--</p><p><b>To:</b> petrasolano@hotelmarbella.com<br/><b>From:</b> rsolano@gmail.com<br/><b>Subject:</b> Saturday dinner</p><p>Since you haven’t been answering your texts lately: are you and the kids free this Saturday for dinner with Jane and Mateo? MJ and his new guy will be there and Rogelio’s Skyping in from NYC. Luisa says she’ll be dropping in too. It’ll almost be like a regular family reunion.</p><p>Bring some food with you. It’ll be a potluck party—we’re celebrating Jane and her artist finalizing their designs and getting started on really making a comic book.</p><p><b>To:</b> rsolano@gmail.com<br/><b>From:</b> petrasolano@hotelmarbella.com<br/><b>Subject:</b> WHAT</p><p>Jane is doing WHAT.</p><p>--</p><p>Deep-fried Southern Man showed up with Writer Lady a week or two after Sadsack Realtor’s appearance. Mariana tried very hard not to be a creepy eavesdropper as before, because whatever drama was going on, she didn’t need to be a part of it. She <i>didn’t</i>, not really.</p><p>But she saw Writer Lady was carrying papers, and she maybe took the opportunity to personally carry their coffee orders over to them. And she maybe chanced a glance down and saw the words <i>divorce</i> spelled out in black letters on white, official-looking paper, saw the sad, tired looks on both their faces.</p><p>She didn’t say anything, just came back with extra cookies. She heard <i>some</i> talk, something about a woman named Rose and amnesia and Montana, but decided to let them be. This was a tragedy, she knew that much. In tragedy, you have to let people be alone, to feel their grief and their pain over what almost was, what could have been, what never happened.</p><p>Sadsack Realtor kept coming in by himself. He seemed to be doing pretty okay, if still a little melancholy. Writer Lady didn’t come in with any guy for a long while, just by herself. Montana Cowboy didn’t come in at all, and Mariana half-thought he had simply fucked off back to Montana, nursing his broken heart.</p><p>Then Writer Lady came back inside, and, miracle of miracles, hanging off her arm was Latino Sadsack Realtor Lover Man. Who no longer looked like quite the sadsack! So that was nice, that was sweet, and Mariana was happy they seemed to get their happy ending.</p><p>--</p><p>Mariana doesn’t manage to make it to Saturday dinner, mostly because she has to take up extra shifts at the café, because they are perpetually understaffed and capitalism is a hellscape that overworks people for more profit. The manager’s out sick, so Mariana has to step up to the plate because the assistant manager would rather play Candy Crush all day.</p><p>It’s hell. By the time she gets back home she all but collapses into her bed, and sleeps almost immediately.</p><p>--</p><p>It’s well into Sunday when her phone rings, waking her from a dream of Wonder Woman showing her how to fly and lasso clouds towards her, for reasons that only really made sense to Mariana’s sleeping brain. She groans into her pillow, then reaches her hand out towards her bedside table without lifting her head, fumbling around for her phone.</p><p>She pulls the phone towards her, lifts her head, swipes her thumb across the screen, and says, tiredly, “Yeah, hello?”</p><p>“Mariana?” Jane asks. “I’m just calling because—well, I know you couldn’t make it to Saturday dinner for job reasons, and that’s fine! That’s okay, I’ve been there.”</p><p>“Oh,” says Mariana. She rubs the heel of her palm against her right eye, and says, “I’m—shit, ‘m’sorry.”</p><p>“It’s okay, I’ve lived that life,” says Jane, reassuring. “Anyway, uh, I got your address from your friend, Ricardo? Except I don’t know if it’s the right one.”</p><p>Mariana sits up. “Why would you need my address?” she asks.</p><p>“I brought you your share,” says Jane. “I—have <i>no</i> idea if I’m at the right place, I realize that now. You live in front of a pizza place, right?”</p><p>“Yeah, two floors up, building in front of Tony’s,” says Mariana. “Seriously? You don’t have to.”</p><p>“I want to,” says Jane. “Okay, I think I got it!”</p><p>--</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>Hey so uh<br/>Thanks for the food<br/>It was delicious<br/>Sorry again that I missed dinner I would’ve been there if I could</p><p><b>JANE:</b><br/>De nada.<br/>It was my Abuela’s recipe.<br/>And it’s okay, I told you I’ve been there. I get what it’s like.<br/>Listen, if you want, I know Petra’s been looking to commission posters for this show happening at the Marbella, and your style is perfect for it.</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>Really?<br/>I mean you don’t have to<br/>This shit sucks but I can keep going for a little while</p><p><b>JANE:</b><br/>You don’t have to, you know. Keep going in a job you don’t really want, that is.</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>It pays the bills<br/>And the tuition<br/>And I can take it, I’ve been taking it for years</p><p><b>JANE:</b><br/>The thing is, you don’t have to.<br/>Petra pays a lot for commission work and she’ll recommend your work to a lot of people.<br/>You could pad out your portfolio. You can be brave.<br/>Just...think about it. That’s all.</p><p>--</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>Hey wannabe cowboy man<br/>So<br/>Did you tell Jane I needed to get the fuck out of my job or something like that?</p><p><b>CARDO:</b><br/>not really<br/>why?</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>Nothing<br/>Just that I think things are beginning to look up for me</p><p>--</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>How much will your friend pay if an artist does commission work for her?</p><p><b>JANE:</b><br/>A lot.</p><p><b>MARIANA:</b><br/>Tell her you got her an artist.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>